The Democratic Alliance (DA) will today write to the Portfolio Committee Chairperson for Transport and Community Safety, Ms Mmaishibe Seono, to summon Limpopo Police Commissioner, Lt.Gen. Thembi Hadebe, to appear before the committee to account for the unyielding increase in crime in the province.
According to the crime statistics for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021, as released by Minister Bheki Cele on 19 November, overall crime in Limpopo increased by 3.1%. The national average indicated a decline in crime of 0.5 percentage points.
During the period under review there were 229 murders recorded in the province, which is 43 more than the same period last year.
Although robberies decreased slightly, there were sharp increases in other contact crimes; attempted murders increased by 28.6%, assault with the intention to inflict serious bodily harm increased by 3.4% and common assaults increased by 9.3%.
There was an increase of 7.5 percentage points in reported sexual offences cases in the province, up from 934 to 1004. This disturbingly means that every day 11 individuals, mainly women and children, are raped or sexually violated in some way that change their lives forever.
The DA is disappointed in the 21.1% decreases in crimes detected as a result of police action. This crime category is largely dependent on police deployment and crime intelligence.
It is clear that Lt. Gen and her cohort let the ball drop and in doing so, placed communities at risk
Our vision is to implement policy in support of a police service that is properly equipped, well trained and responds rapidly to any threat to the personal safety of citizens and prevent crime before it occurs.
The DA will demand Lt.Gen Hadebe to account for the increase and explain to the Legislature where she is legally accountable, what the exact and detailed plans are to assist police stations across the province to ensure that crime is brought under control.